Reconnecting
by vakan
Summary: What if Luke returned early from his trip with April and witnessed Lorelai’s drunken speech? LL
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: ** Here I am almost a year after the finale and two years after that dreaded episode (6.22) and I still can't come into terms with it. So this is my version of how things could have gone differently. Hope you like it.

A big thank you to **pink hammer **for fixing my many mistakes. Another thank you to my friend Katrin (cappuccino) for the support and the ideas she gave me.

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**Chapter 1**

Luke had really been looking forward to this trip and the chance to bond with his daughter. The truth was that he was thrilled when April had suggested it to him, happy to spend some more time with her away from all the noisy townspeople who couldn't mind their own business. Still, he felt a rush of relief wash over him when they were told that they had to cancel the remainder of the trip due to the storm in Philadelphia.

He was suddenly feeling very eager to get home to Lorelai. Even though she had said that they didn't have anything planned, he knew that Lane's wedding was scheduled for today. So, this was the perfect opportunity to show up and be her escort for the wedding. It felt like forever since they'd been on a date together, what with him dealing with April's presence in his life and Lorelai being busy at the inn, so he felt that now was his chance to spend more time with his fiancée. Maybe they could even plan a last minute getaway just for the two of them since Luke wasn't expected in the diner for the rest of the week. They could finally relax and enjoy each other.

Things had not been easy in the time since their engagement. The problems started with Lorelai's rift with Rory and not wanting to set a date until things were settled between the two of them, and then just when things seemed to settle back to normal, his long-lost daughter appeared and shook up his life. Even now, after the date had been set and most of the plans made, their wedding had been postponed.

Thinking about it now, the postponement makes absolutely no sense to him. At the time, he'd thought it was a good idea, giving him time to make things right for everyone, spend some quality time bonding with his daughter and then getting married worry free. Now, the more he thinks about it, the more he wants to set a new date. Heck they could probably even pull off June 3rd if everyone pitched in.

That's another one of the reasons he is so eager to get home - to tell Lorelai that their wedding is back on. After their trip to Martha's Vineyard for Valentine's Day, and especially after Lorelai confessed her concerns about the wedding not happening, he was taking every 

chance he had to reassure her that they WOULD get married. But, no matter how many times he spoke the words, something in Lorelai's eyes told him that she wasn't convinced. He was the 'actions speak louder than words' man after all, and what better way to show her how serious he is about them as a couple, than returning early to start planning the wedding they deserved.

Luke was beaming. He had it all planned out in his head. He would appear unannounced on her doorstep, all dressed up ready to sweep her off her feet. He would escort her to the wedding, they would dance, have a good time and finally when they returned home he would tell her about the wedding and give her the present he had found for her on the trip. But you know what they say: when people make plans, God is laughing from above.

Lost in thoughts and plans, Luke hadn't noticed that the bus had stopped moving. As he reluctantly dragged himself away from his thoughts about Lorelai, he realized that the bus was at a standstill, along with hundreds of other cars ahead of them.

Leaning between the two front seats, he asked his daughter, "Hey April, why aren't we moving?"

April rolled her eyes. "Did you only just notice? Have you been asleep or something?"

Not wanting to explain his earlier thoughts to his daughter, Luke ignored her questions, scanning the road ahead of them for clues about the problem.

Seeing that she wasn't going to receive an answer, April continued. "Apparently there's a huge accident ahead of us so we're stuck here for at least a couple more hours. At least until they remove the truck and we can move again."

Luke started to panic; he knew that if he wanted to turn his daydreams into reality he really needed to be back in Stars Hollow in two hours and not just sitting in a bus waiting for the fire department to clear the crashed vehicles from the road.

"Great," he sighed in a defeated tone, sinking back in his seat.

"I thought no one was expecting you back home for at least a week, so why does it matter?" April asked sharply.

Along with every other kid in the bus, April wasn't in the best mood. She'd really been looking forward to the math contest and was unhappy that it had been cancelled on account of the storm.

Sensing that her father would rather be at home in Stars Hollow, she snapped at him. "YOU were the one that told me you wanted to come, you know. You said that you didn't have anything planned! Why is it suddenly a problem for you to have to sit on the bus for a while longer?"

By the time she finished her sentence, April's voice was at full force and every head in the bus was turned towards the two.

"Calm down," Luke hissed. "I never said that I didn't want to be on the trip. Of course I wanted to come," he said, trying to placate her.

"It doesn't sound that way to me," sulked April, not willing to let go of her animosity just yet.

"Look, I know you're upset but you'll have plenty more opportunities for math contests in the future. It's not the end of the world just because you missed one due to bad weather. You're young and you'll have a lot more chances for trips like this. Calm down. Relax." Luke said in the most soothing voice he could muster.

The little lecture from her father seemed to calm April down a little, but she still didn't seem too pleased with him.

Getting the truck off the road turned out to be a much more time consuming job than first expected. As Luke watched the minutes and hours pass by, he felt more and more agitated. His plans were about to be ruined. He sighed deeply.

After three hours of sitting on the bus doing nothing they finally started moving again. Immediately, Luke tried to calculate how long it would take them to get home. How long would it take to get to the parking lot where his truck was parked? How long would it take to get from there to Stars Hollow? No matter how many times he went over it, the results were not good. He realized that there was no doubt that he would miss the wedding ceremony altogether. If he was lucky, he might make it to the reception and maybe he could still salvage some of the night. After all, their first 'moment' was when he asked her to dance at his sister's wedding reception. He remembered her surprised face and the way they had melted into each other's arms. He hoped that he would get the chance to relive that moment this evening.

He was really glad he listened to Lorelai and her insistence that he bring along some nice clothes. They would certainly come in handy now. Closing his eyes for a moment, he pictured her surprised face when he walked in to the reception all dressed up.

--

When they finally got back to the car park he said a quick goodbye to a still-surly April and quickly headed for his truck. Stopping at a gas station, he used the cramped restroom to change his clothes. It wasn't the best location, but it would have to do.

He returned to the road, knowing that he is only one hour away from Stars Hollow. The party would be at full swing by the time he gets there, but if everything goes well, he'll still be in time to surprise Lorelai.

Fortunately for him, there were no other accidents on the road and he reached Stars Hollow almost exactly one hour later. As he crossed the road towards the reception, he spotted the crowds of people celebrating and heard Rory making a toast to the newlyweds. As she finished and stepped down from the stage, he followed her with his eyes, hoping to spot Lorelai's table and Lorelai herself.

In the end, he didn't have to try hard to find her, since Lorelai was the next one up on the stage to give her best wishes to the couple. As soon as he sees her, he suspects that she is drunk, a fact confirmed when she bumps into the band equipment.

As she started to speak, her voice brought a smile to his face. A smile that would soon fade.

"Hello. Everybody, hello. Some of you know me as Lorelai Gilmore, and some of you know me as Cher. But either way, I wanted to say a few words about our girl. I have known Lane forever, and I'm just so incredibly happy that she has gotten married. I mean, I am just so happy that this adorable 22-year-old girl has gotten married, because it's amazing, you know? It's really hard to get married. Believe me, I should know. I mean, seriously, because Lane is married, and next thing, it'll be my daughter, and then my granddaughter, but not me. I'm not getting married. No, it ain't for me. It's not in the cards. But, hey, do you know what date I'm not getting married? June 3rd. Do not save the date. Do you hear me? Do whatever you want on June 3rd, because there's nothing at all happening on that day. If there's anything you need to book or anything, it's totally safe to book it on June 3rd."

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note: **Thank you so much for all your reviews, I'm so glad you liked the first chapter.

And as always thanks to **pink hammer** for the beta and **Katrin.**

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**Chapter 2**

Luke couldn't believe what he was hearing, he felt like the wind was pushed out of his lungs. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't move from his spot. He had suspected that Lorelai wasn't happy with the wedding being postponed and with how he was dealing with the April situation, but he couldn't believe just how unhappy she had been all this time. And the worst things of all, he is the one to have caused all this heartache. He, who had vowed that if they ever got together, he wouldn't be like any of the other jerks she had been with. And here he is, causing her more pain than all of them.

It was then that he realized that Rory and Christopher (what was he doing here anyway?) had taken Lorelai off the stage and were guiding her home. He doesn't know what to do, follow them or just go up to his apartment and talk with Lorelai tomorrow when she would no doubt be more sober? He sighs, knowing he won't be able to get any sleep anyway unless he checks on her and makes sure that deadbeat that is Rory's dad doesn't try to take advantage of the situation with Lorelai in such a vulnerable state.

He gives them a head start, following behind. Just as he reaches the porch steps, the door swings open and Rory emerges, her face creased with worry. At first, he is too embarrassed to look her in the eye, but when he finally does, he doesn't see the disappointment he expected, but rather a young woman who is clearly sad and distraught. Misunderstanding the reason for her pain, Luke starts talking and apologizing.

"I'm sorry, Rory, I know this is my fault. I'll do everything in my power to fix this. I don't know how," he said hopelessly, "but I just hope it's not too late for us. It can't be too late! I've waited so long for this to happen that it just can't be too late," he says desperately.

Looking somewhat startled by what he has said, Rory nonetheless reassures him. "I think you really need to talk with my mom, Luke. Talk out all your problems and see where you go from there."

Shifting her feet and fixing her gaze on the ground, she continues. "I'm sorry, I can't talk about this right now. They just told me that Logan's been hurt and I really have to go so I can find out what happened and how bad it is. Just go in there and take good care of her."

Luke only manages to nod. He has never felt so desperate, so overwhelmed, and he finds himself unable to say anything. As Rory prepares to get into her car, he finally speaks. "I hope everything is okay with Logan."

This time it's Rory who only manages to nod in response, proceeding to get in the car.

Luke's voice stops her once more. "Just drive safe," he implores.

Rory cracks a small smile at this; a reminder of the way he always tried to protect her and Lorelai. She hopes that now that he has finally realized how much he was hurting her mom that they will be able to work things out.

"I will. Bye, Luke."

Luke gives her his typical wave and waits till the car is out of the driveway before he heads for the porch again. He sits on the steps, trying to calm his nerves a little, taking a deep breath to prepare himself for what's to come. The situation isn't easy to begin with and the fact that Christopher, a man he despises, is also there doesn't help the situation. He knows him, and he knows he is the type of man to try to take advantage of the situation that Luke has created. But he is here now and he won't let Christopher come between them again.

Taking another deep breath, he pushes the door open. Seeing Christopher bending over the couch, which he assumes Lorelai is lying on, rage runs through him and he is tempted to swing a punch first and ask questions later. Before he could act however, he sees Christopher stand, cradling Lorelai in his arms to take her upstairs to her bed. Seeing Luke startles him and he drops Lorelai back to the couch, a little too clumsily for his liking. Luke is the first one to speak.

"I'll take it from here"

"I think you've done enough damage already," Christopher sneers.

"This is none of your damn business! I really appreciate you bringing her home safely, but it's time for you to go now."

"What makes you think I'm going to leave her alone in this state?"

Feeling more and more agitated, Luke's voice betrays his emotions, and his tone when he speaks again is more forceful.

"She won't be alone, I'll be here to make sure she is alright. Now if you don't mind, I have to take care of my fiancée," he says, putting stress on the fiancée part.

"Yeah, because apparently you've been doing a great job of that." Christopher says scornfully, gesturing to Lorelai.

Luke had had enough. "Alright, that's it!" he says, moving towards Christopher. "Get out now! I'm not having you, of all people, judging me!"

Finally understanding just how angry Luke is, Christopher wisely decides to back down.

"Fine, I'm leaving. But only for now. One of these days she'll come back to me as she always does, and I'll be there to pick up the pieces, diner man. You'll be history soon enough."

Luke doesn't want to admit it, but Christopher's words have struck a chord in him. Lorelai turning to Christopher has always been his greatest fear, and this time his own actions have brought Christopher back into their lives.

Pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind, he goes to pick up Lorelai, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. It pains him to see her in this vulnerable state especially knowing his part in it. Even in her drunken state, Lorelai recognizes Luke's scent and snuggles closer to him. It's almost more than he can handle this moment. Seeing her so weak, yet needing him so much breaks his heart.

Walking up the stairs and into their bedroom, he lays her carefully on the bed and contemplates whether or not to change her into something more comfortable. He decides that it would be wise, and sets about putting on some sweat pants and a soft top. Once he has finished, he tucks her in. As he turned away, he heard her whisper something quietly. He bends closer in the hope of catching her words.

"I need you," she mumbles. "Don't leave me."

He freezes on the spot. He knows she probably won't remember his next words tomorrow but he says them nevertheless. "I love you. I'm not leaving you. I won't ever leave you."

He sweeps a strand of hair out of her face and places a small but lingering kiss on her lips. When he pulls back, he sees a small smile on her face.

Once again, he is faced with a dilemma. Should he sleep in the bed with her, or should he stay on the chair by the window to keep an eye on her? He decides the latter since he doesn't want to startle her when the alcohol wears off and she becomes aware of her surroundings.

Placing a glass of water and a couple of pills on her nightstand, he takes a blanket out of the closet and sits on the chair, trying to make himself comfortable. Sleep is the last thing on his mind as he processes the earlier events, trying to come up with ways to fix this.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the delay between updates and hope you continue to enjoy this story.

As always thanks to my very good beta **pink hammer.**

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**Chapter 3**

As he expected, Luke didn't sleep at all that night. He sat there thinking about the events of the last few months, and when everything started going downhill. He dreads Lorelai waking up, feeling the urge to run away until he clears up everything in his head and knows exactly what to do. But, he realizes, this is exactly what he has been doing all this time. Not actually running per se, but avoiding the issue, not talking about it with Lorelai, hoping that somehow the situation would resolve itself. _That didn't work out now did it?_ he thinks with a bitter laugh. So, he decides to stay and face Lorelai and what's to come. It's the only way to save what's left. To save them.

She begins to stir a little after eight. Luke sits up immediately, being on high alert the moment he heard movement. He sees her trying to take in her surroundings, blinking rapidly when her eyes fall on him, probably trying to understand whether he is really there or not. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath as if trying to make sense of everything. As she opens them again, her eyes are still on him. He decides to be the one to speak first.

"Hey, feeling better?"

"Luke?"

"Yeah, I'm here. I've brought some water and a couple of pills that will make you feel better."

"What are you doing here?" Her tone is harsher than he expected and he decides to laugh it off.

"It's nice to see you too," he says, trying to make his smile look as genuine as possible.

She sits up and he realizes that his attempt to lighten the mood has failed.

"You know I didn't mean it like that," she says seriously.

Closing the distance between them, Luke sits on the bed and takes her hand in his.

"I know," he says while placing a reassuring kiss on her forehead. "Relax."

This time, the small smile that appears on his face is genuine. He feels her relax and thinks it's the right moment to approach the events of last night.

"So, wild party last night huh?" he starts.

"Yeah, who would have thought that Mrs. Kim would allow her daughter to have a party like that?" She averts her eyes, looking everywhere but at Luke.

He figures that she probably doesn't remember much, particularly his presence, but at the same time, she is afraid to ask. Silence follows her last words and she takes the opportunity to drink the water and take the two pills, hoping that they would help with her headache.

Luke only adds to the pain in her head as he doesn't waste any more time, getting straight to the point. "Why was Christopher your date for Lane's wedding?"

Lorelai is surprised at first but replies almost immediately, not wanting to give him the wrong impression. "Long story short, Mrs. Kim demanded that every female is escorted by a male," she explains. "At first, I was going to take Michel, but he cancelled on me at the last minute to see Celine Dion, can you believe that?" She tries a little humor, but Luke is clearly not seeing the funny side.

She continues, stumbling over the words a little. "So, Rory was sitting there listening to me rambling about having no one to take with me and how was I supposed to show up and stuff and so she asked her dad. Apparently she'd been texting him with that new sidekick that he gave her and he said he didn't have anything planned for the evening. So, that's how he ended up coming to the wedding."

She quiets, waiting for the reaction that she knows is coming.

"So," Luke says sarcastically. "You ask what, five-six hours before the wedding and he drops everything and comes? Wow, he sure has the Lorelai radar up and running still!"

"Look," she says, annoyed by his tone. "I don't know what you're thinking, but all we did is go to the wedding ceremonies and have a few drinks – ok, so maybe it was more than a few – at the reception. I don't remember much about it, but I'm guessing that he brought me home and put me into bed. Since he's not here, clearly he left. Simple as that."

His breathing is heavy and he is clearly displeased by her story, however he says nothing.

Trying to get him to talk to her, Lorelai continues. "Luke, I don't know what you're thinking, but I swear nothing happened. Rory was there too, she'll tell you if you don't believe me." She is almost pleading now.

"I know nothing happened because I was there! I got here a lot sooner than you think. As soon as the rest of the trip was cancelled, I decided to surprise you and take you to the wedding, but there was an accident on the road that held us up." He is in a ranting mode now and so she lets him vent.

"And when we finally got on our way again, it was too late for me to get here for the ceremony so I decided to come for the reception. Do you see me all dressed up, Lorelai? Or do you think this is how I dressed every day on the trip?"

As if now noticing him for the first time, Lorelai sees that he has indeed made an effort with his clothes. Sure, they are all rumpled from spending all night on the chair, but he has certainly dressed up.

His voice snaps her out of her trance as he starts to speak again. "What happens when I get here? I see Rory getting off the stage and while I'm trying to figure out where you are I see you getting up there."

Lorelai averts her eyes, finally realizing that Luke had heard it all.

"And you know what hurts me the most about what happened? No, it's not the fact that you decided to pour you heart out in front of everyone in town instead of coming to me to tell me how much I was hurting you. Do you know what the worst part was? It's what you said a few minutes ago that made me feel like you were stomping on my heart!"

Lorelai looks at him, lost, trying to understand what she could have possibly said to hurt him more than her drunken words last night.

"Who do you think carried you upstairs last night, Lorelai? Whose neck did you think you were kissing? Who did you want to be the one undressing you, Lorelai, and who the fuck was it that you were talking about when you said you never wanted to leave you? Who, Lorelai, who?"

Luke is really angry now, she can clearly see that. The truth is that she knew it was him last night. She doesn't know why she implied it might have been Christopher. Maybe just to get a reaction out of him. The moment she woke up and saw him there, she remembered him taking her upstairs and making sure she was alright. Of course she knew it was him, how could she not? And how could he think like that, especially after the last year? She is angry herself now.

"I can't believe you are doing this again! Of course I knew it was you last night! What more do I have to do to stop you from thinking like that?" Her voice gets stronger and louder with each exclamation.

"I can't believe you are turning this into a Christopher fight AGAIN! It's has nothing to do with him this time!"

"You're the one bringing him in and out of our life whenever it's convenient," he shoots back.

Lorelai snorts. "Our life? That's rich, Luke, especially coming from you. And if I remember correctly, which I do, I TOLD you the moment he made contact with us again and YOU said you were fine with it! But I guess you were too busy trying to hide the fact that you have a daughter to actually listen to me."

They are standing looking at each other, both out of breath, trying to understand how this turned into a screaming match so quickly.

Luke is the first to withdraw, moving back to his seat and placing his face in his hands and letting out a deep sigh. Lorelai's headache is now worse than when she first woke.

Letting out another deep sigh, Luke finally speaks. "I'm sorry, I know he is not our problem right now, but I can't help it, he just has that effect on me. Especially last night, coming in here and to see you passed out in his arms was more than I could handle."

"But you were the one carrying me upstairs," she says questioningly, trying to make sense of this new information.

"I was. I made him put you back down. He wouldn't leave without a fight though," he chuckles.

"I don't see anything broken so I suppose everyone survived?" Another attempt at humor.

"Yeah, don't worry. We just exchanged a few words, nothing more."

After a few moments of silence he stands up. "I'm going to go now."

She bolts upright and is in front of him in seconds, almost pleading. "Don't go!"

He takes her in his arms, rocking her from side to side while whispering soothing words in her ear. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll just let you get some rest. I should have done that in the first place and not started yelling at you, but everything was just too much."

He looks into her eyes for a few moments, seeing the hurt he caused. He leans in and places a tentative kiss on her lips, testing the waters. He feels Lorelai respond, opening her mouth to him. The kiss grows in passion, leaving them both panting for breath. Finally drawing apart, Lorelai rests her forehead against his. They stay like that for a while until Luke breaks away from her and heads to the door.

"I'll send over food with Lane. Make sure you rest and hydrate."

He is ready to leave the room when he turns around and tells her with certainty, "I got us into this mess and I'll be the one to get us out of it."


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note:** As always thanks to **Pink Hammer **who does a great work, fixing my many mistakes. And **Cappuccino **for providing ideas and support. Thanks girls!

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He walks back to the diner in a daze. When he enters, Caesar freezes on the spot, afraid of Luke's reaction when he sees the new signs he has put up while Luke was away. He is surprised when his boss doesn't say anything, but he puts it down to the fact that Luke is looking exhausted and drained, like he hasn't slept in days.

Before Luke walks through the curtain to go upstairs he says to Caesar. "You're in charge for a few more days. I'll be up there, but pretend I'm not. Tell Lane to send Lorelai some food. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, the whole thing." Caesar doesn't bother reminding him that Lane is starting her honeymoon today.

He heads to his apartment and drops to the couch with a heavy sigh. Although it's still early in the morning, he feels like he desperately needs a drink. He heads to his fridge and pulls out a beer. He knows that getting drunk is not the best way to deal with things, but persuades himself that just this one bottle won't be any harm. It will help loose him up some more and maybe then he can think more clearly. He snorts at that, alcohol and thinking clearly don't combine, but he takes the first sip anyway, his decision already made.

With half the bottle already gone, Luke lets his mind wander to Lorelai's drunken speech last night. He had sensed that something was wrong, but he didn't know she was so broken. Had he known, he would have acted a lot sooner and not let things get so bad. One line in particular makes him both sad and angry at the same time. Her voice rings in his ears, "Lane is married, next thing it'll be my daughter and then my granddaughter, but not me. I'm not getting married!"

He doesn't know when he gave her the impression that the marriage won't happen. Postponed doesn't mean cancelled. Yes, they haven't talked about setting a new date yet, but that was what he had in mind when he was on the bus returning home.

"_It's a little late now__, Danes" _a small voice in his head tells him.

"Damn!" he mutters out loud. If only he had assured her more often. But on the other hand, he'd thought things were ok between them after the talk they had at the Vineyard. That was the only time he remembers Lorelai telling him her concerns about their wedding, and he had reassured her back then. Still, he isn't a words person; his motto was always 'actions speak louder than words'. Unfortunately, for a long time now his actions didn't indicate a man who wanted to get married.

But why was it okay for her not to set a date until things were right with Rory? He had waited and waited back then and hadn't said a thing. They could have been married by now and none of this drama would have happened. But then again, would a ring on their fingers make everything magically better? "Damn, damn," he says out loud again and slams his hand on the couch before going to the fridge to get another beer.

He used to be able to read her needs and feelings like an open book, so why he hadn't noticed anything for all these months? Deep inside he knows why, but he doesn't want to admit it even to himself. April. The person that turned his life upside down. All of a sudden he had to be a father - and a good one - to a teenage girl. What did he know about teenage girls? Nothing, and that's what scared him to death. Add to that Anna being at his throat all the time, threatening to take her away from him again, and you could see why Luke focused on getting to know his daughter and showing Anna (and to an extent Lorelai) that he _could_ be a good dad. That's how he found himself focusing on April and April only, putting his relationship with Lorelai to the side for a while.

He thought they were steady and strong and if his focus wasn't only on her for once, she would understand.

'_She did, Danes, but you put her aside for way too long and look how miserable you made her,'_ that same voice tells him.

Now that he thinks about it, that was one of his biggest mistakes, in the series of big mistakes. Taking Lorelai for granted. He should have included her in everything. First of all, he should have told her when he first found out about April and not chickened out, making it harder as time went on. He should have asked for her advice on how to approach a teenage girl and how to gain Anna's trust, and not let Anna dictate his relationship with his daughter. Lorelai, being the charmer that she is, would surely know how to handle situations like these. He should have introduced the two most important people in his life to each other, and they all should have spent more time together, bonding as a family.

Luke is flustered with himself, _'should have, should have, should have… and what do you end up doing, Danes? Hurting Lorelai just like others have before!'_ Feeling angry at himself, he throws the bottle at the opposite wall, watching it smash on impact. He feels a sense of relief and has to stop himself from throwing more stuff against the wall. Instead, he heads to the fridge and takes out yet another beer, his plan for only one failing miserably.

He sits back down and thinks about Lorelai and how she reacted every time he spent time with his daughter and he didn't bother to invite her along. The look on her face is imprinted on his mind. A look that he just now realizes how often he has seen over the last few months. It's the 'I'm hurting in the inside but I want to show my fiancé that I support him' look. He tries to play it down, to convince himself that she hadn't looked that way for all these months, but when he tries to recall her with a genuine smile on her face, he comes up empty. All he can remember are the times before April came in their lives. He now remembers the exact time that he saw that smile last: it was when everything was finally alright between her and Rory, when she barged into the diner telling him that she had organized everything for their wedding in just a day and that the date was June 3rd. He thought it was too soon but seeing her so happy and giddy about it, he couldn't help but agree. That was the last of genuinely happy Lorelai he remembers seeing. Every other memory he comes up now includes sad-face Lorelai.

--

_After a long, tiring day at work, Luke and Lorelai were finally in their bedroom at the Crap Shack, getting ready to settle in for the night. Lorelai was the last one to go to bed, and when she climbed in, Luke turned to her with a happy face._

"_What?" Lorelai asked him curiously, but with a smile tugging at her lips as well._

"_Nothing. I've missed you, that's all. You didn't come by the diner today and I felt like something was missing." He shrugs it off._

"_Aww, babe, it got crazy at the inn, and I didn't have time to breathe. But I'm glad you're here now." She wiggles her eyebrows at him._

"_You have no idea how much"_

_He was now hovering over her, having her pinned against the mattress, the kiss much more intense than both of them anticipated. When Lorelai broke away in need of air, she managed to comment, "If this is the outcome, I'll stay away from the diner more often."_

"_Don't even dare to think about it," he answered in a husky voice, and proceeded to bathe her with kisses._

_Afterwards, they lay content in each other's arms, talking about their respective days._

"… _and when Michel saw what we replaced his Celine Dion wallpaper with, he almost choked on his food!." They both laughed at how sensitive Michel was about his Celine Dion obsession. When the laughter died down, Luke began to tell her about Kirk's latest interest._

"_You should have seen Kirk the other day. Coming into the diner with a shiny new laptop, trying to show it off to everyone."_

"_I bet he did something stupid with it."_

"_Of course he did, it wouldn't be Kirk otherwise. So, as he was demonstrating all the high tech features - which by the way, let me tell you, I had no idea what the big deal was meant to be - …"_

"_Don't worry babe, one of these days I'll teach you everything," she promised._

"_Well there's something I'm looking forward to," he laughs._

_Lorelai leaned across to smack him on the arm._

"_Ouch!"_

"_That's what you get when you make fun of me!"_

"_Sorry."_

"_Keep going."_

"_So, when he finishes his little demonstration and is all proud of his new toy, April goes to her backpack and gets her laptop out, showing Kirk all the features his didn't have. I'll tell you, he was ready to cry and I'm sure he did once he left the diner."_

_Luke was expecting Lorelai to laugh along but she didn't._

"_Hey, you okay? Did you hear the story? You're all quiet all of a sudden."_

"_Yeah, I'm fine, just tired," she replied with that half smile, half sad face of hers._

--

_Lorelai and Luke were having a nice picnic by the Dragonfly's stables. They had just finished eating the lunch that Luke had cooked himself when Luke suggested a walk._

"_Why don't we take a walk around? It's a nice day and I still have hours till the afternoon rush begins."_

_Lorelai got up and wordlessly grabbed his hand as she began to walk around the Dragonfly property. They talked about everything and nothing in particular, just enjoying each other's company and this rare moment where all their worries and problems had been pushed to one side and they could just concentrate on each other._

"_Come on," he said, tugging on her hand._

"_Where are you taking me?"_

"_Up that hill and then right down the valley where we'll find…"_

"_Luuuke!"_

"_We'll just sit under the tree, that's all."_

"_Mr. Danes, are you trying to make out with me under a tree?"_

_Lorelai was so happy that Luke seemed to be in a good mood and wasn't preoccupied with other thoughts, and she was determined to take advantage of it._

_They proceed to sit down, Luke with his back against the tree and Lorelai between his legs. Luke being Luke first checked to make sure no one else was around and then responded in a voice that made Lorelai weak in the knees. "Would that be so bad?"_

"_I'm not so sure, I might need you to convince me," she said, winking at him._

_Luke grinned and moved closer to Lorelai, who tilted her head towards him. "Let's see what I can do about that." He brushes his lips against hers once, twice and then a third time before pulling back._

"_That's all you got?" she asks cheekily._

_His grin is even wider now "Just a warm up."_

_He opens his mouth slightly and takes her bottom lip between his, sucking at it lightly. He is biting her softly and using his tongue to soothe her skin. When he feels her wanting more, he withdraws. He smiles down at her and her pouting responses. He laughs louder and decides to give up his little game. This time, he lets her be an active participant in the kiss. Things get quickly out of control and Lorelai almost straddles him, but a beeping noise coming from Luke's pocket stops him. It takes a minute for him to compose himself and only then does he realize that it's his cell phone. When he picks it up and checks the caller ID, his face falls._

"_It's Anna," he whispers, and Lorelai is so angry at the fear she sees in his eyes. This is not Luke, being intimidated by a woman. When the conversation between the two is over, Lorelai touches his face, seeing the worried look._

"_What is it?"_

"_April was supposed to visit tomorrow but she has an important school project coming up, so she won't have the time. Anna suggested that I go there and see her for a couple of hours. You know, so she won't have to take all this time to get to Stars Hollow and going back home to her place."_

"_That's good. What time are you going tomorrow?"_

_He doesn't look at her "She suggested that I go now, in the next half hour."_

"_Oh."_

"_I'm so sorry; I didn't want to cut our time short but…"_

"_Luke," she silences him with two fingers on his lips "Go. It's fine."_

--

'_That same look, Danes, every time that same look, but you kept ignoring it.'_ While Luke was recalling all of these not-so-distant memories, his beer consumption continued steadily, a fact he realizes when he goes to the fridge to get yet another bottle but finds the six pack gone.

Walking slightly unsteadily, he changes course and heads towards his bed, hoping that lying down will clear the fog from his head.

--

It's late afternoon by the time he finally wakes up from what was supposed to be a short nap.

His head is pounding and he doesn't know what to do next. Go to see Lorelai and finally talk to her about everything, or stay at his place and let her rest? His desire to see her is so strong; he wants to assure her that nothing has changed, that his feelings remain the same and he wants her in his life. But, words don't mean much anymore and he knows that they won't help him this time. He needs to act. Already forming plans in his head, he hops into the shower to get ready to go over to Lorelai's.

tbc


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note: **Thanks a lot for your reviews, hope you enjoy the story.

As always thanks to **Pink Hammer **for betaing and **cappuccino **for the support. You both rock!

* * *

Lorelai isn't able to go back to sleep after Luke leaves. She sits on the bed staring at the ceiling, trying to figure out their earlier conversation.

Luke seemed surprised and hurt by her speech. If she had known he was in the crowd listening she probably wouldn't have said anything. That was certainly not the right way for him to hear about her concerns and fears. Sure, that talk was long overdue but still, he should have been the one to hear about it first, without making their love life the talk of the town. She couldn't imagine how much fodder she had given the rumor mill with her speech. With those troubled thoughts in mind, she finally managed to drift off to sleep.

She is roused from her sleep by the doorbell around noon. Her headache is gone but she is still feeling extremely tired. As promised, Caesar is at her door holding two Luke's bags.

"Hey, Lorelai, the boss told me to bring you some food."

"Thanks, Caesar. Is Lane covering for you?"

He looks at her oddly.

"I didn't expect Luke to remember, but you were at her wedding last night. Lane started her honeymoon today."

"Oh yeah, stupid me. Too many tequila shots can do that to you," she says trying to joke about it.

"Ok, well if you don't need anything else, I should head back."

"Sure. Let me just get you some money," she says, looking around for her purse.

"Forget it! Luke was already moody when he came in, but if he found out I took money from you, I wouldn't hear the end of it! See ya, Lorelai."

"Thanks, Caesar."

Later that afternoon, she is sitting in the kitchen having just finished eating when she hears a car pull up in her driveway. Thinking it is Luke arriving early to finish their talk, she swings the door open to greet him. What she sees though makes her stomach drop: a silver Volvo.

The owner steps out and makes his way to her. "Hey, Lor."

Taken aback by his presence, the surprise is evident on her face.

"Hey, what brings you here?" she asks casually.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You know, after what happened last night."

Having her nosy neighbor see Christopher standing on her porch would no doubt only add more gossip to the already full mill, so she gestures for him to go inside and closes the door behind her.

"So, how have you been?" Christopher asks.

"I've been good. A little off, but I guess that's to be expected given the amount I drank last night."

"Are you alone? What happened to your fiancé? Did you know he kicked me out to take care of you?"

"Chris…"

"What, Lor, are you going to defend him again? All this time I thought you were happy with that guy, that's why I stayed away. But what I saw last night was not a happy woman! It was a woman who is trying to save an already dead relationship all by herself."

Hearing the last part Lorelai gets angry and defensive. "You have no right making comments about our relationship. When did you become an expert anyway?"

"Lor…"

"No! Don't 'Lor' me. Just because you happened to be there last night and heard my speech, doesn't mean you know everything about the situation. It's complicated."

"It looks pretty clear from where I'm standing. He has a daughter that he never bothered to tell you about and he has no plans to marry you."

"It's complicated" she repeats.

"You keep saying that, but I don't see any reason why. He claims to love you, you're supposed to be happy with him, so why aren't you married already?"

"I told you once and I'll tell you again, you have no right to make judgments. What you saw last night was a drunken speech that I shouldn't have made, especially in front of all those people. And I'm not 'supposed' to be happy with Luke, I AM! We are just having a hard time right now, that's all."

She sits on the couch feeling exhausted. Christopher is the last person she expected having to explain herself to. But after he witnessed all the events of last night, she has to. She has to make him see that there is no room for him in her life, not the way he seems to want. She and Luke will try to work things out, and even if they fail, which is the last thing she wants, she will never turn to Chris. As teenagers, sure, they were having a great time, trying to escape from their overbearing parents, but that is over and done with and the possibility of them as a couple is dead and buried. They thought they were in love back then. She almost laughs out loud at that thought, but manages to contain it. For the first time in her life, she knows what true love feels like. To want someone so much it hurts. To depend on him like 

you never let yourself depend on anyone before. To feel incomplete when he leaves, even for just a day or two. To share the same dreams for the future.

Chris' words bring her out of her thoughts. "So why wasn't he there last night? You had to call me to escort you. I mean, I know he is the very definition of anti-social, but I thought for your sake, he could suck it up and be there."

She gets angry once again, most of all at herself for giving him enough information about her life that he feels as if he can comment.

"Look, I made a mistake yesterday letting Rory invite you to the wedding, I can see that now. Whatever dream is floating around in that head of yours, it ain't happening. There isn't the slightest possibility of you and me anymore. I thought you got that message loud and clear when I cut you out of my life for good, and if I'm not mistaken, you were the one to contact us again, just so you could tell us that you got the big bucks."

"You say that now, but you know that when all this comes tearing down, you'll turn to me like you always do. I'm just sitting and waiting for the day you'll show up at my doorstep wanting some comfort." Christopher sneers. He is so confident when he says these words that it frightens her. But, he has her previous actions to prove his words. She just has to make sure that it won't happen again.

--

Having showered and changed to his usual attire, Luke makes a quick stop downstairs to grab Lorelai's usual dinner before heading to her house.

It is a nice evening outside, so he decides to walk there, giving himself time to think things through some more. He doesn't know how to approach her. He has dealt with sad Lorelai before and he always knew what to say, what to do to make her feel better. This is the first time though that he is the one to blame for her current state, and that's why he is at a loss for what to do.

Even when they broke up last February, Luke was confident it wasn't the end for the two of them. It was his own stubbornness that kept them apart. But, when he showed up at her doorstep and kissed her like there was no tomorrow, everything was forgotten. But now; he knows a kiss won't make their problems magically disappear. The problem is that he doesn't know what he has to do to regain her trust, to make her happy again.

With these thoughts in mind, he reaches her driveway. He immediately notices the odd car in there. The silver Volvo. He can only assume to whom it belongs and he doesn't like the fact that he has to deal with him again. He wants to talk to Lorelai, alone.

He takes a deep breath and without knocking, he enters the house. He finds them in the living room with about half a football field separating them. Christopher is sitting on the couch, while Lorelai is standing by the fireplace, obviously tense and upset.

"What's going on?" he asks, getting straight to the point.

"Well, well, well, look who the cat dragged in!" is Christopher's immediate comeback.

"Christopher!" he hears Lorelai exclaim.

The minute Luke hears that snarky comment, he reaches his boiling point. Who is this immature moron to think that he can come into their house and make comments?

Luke moves threateningly towards where Christopher is sitting. The other man notices his heavy breathing and his steady steps and instantly gets up from the couch, ready for battle.

"Listen," Luke says. "I've put up with you until now for the sake of Lorelai, and most of all Rory, but I won't have you coming into my house and passing judgment on how I handle things."

Christopher laughs out loud, which only serves to make Luke even angrier. However, Luke remains silent this time, leaving the floor open for Christopher to speak.

"And all this time I stayed on the sidelines, thinking that Lorelai was happy with you. I can see now that I was wrong. How could I ever think that a diner guy could make her happy?"

Lorelai stays by the fireplace, just observing the verbal ping pong match going on between the two, ready to intervene if necessary.

"This diner guy is and was there for her like you never were!"

"Yeah, I saw that clearly last night."

"Lorelai knew where I was and that's all that matters!"

"Man, you are completely clueless. I thought seeing her like that last night would have tipped you off, but you still don't get it."

Luke doesn't answer, trying to control his rage before he ends up beating the crap out of him.

Christopher takes his silence as confirmation, so he continues his assault.

"I have never seen her more devastated over anything than she was over your cancelled wedding. But do you have a clue? Nope! All is right in the diner guy's world. You've hurt her like I've never have before. You make her unhappy and I'm here to pick up the pieces!"

Luke can' take it anymore. Christopher is the last person he expected to have to explain himself to, but if this is what it takes to get him off his back, he will do it.

"You are not here to pick up any pieces! This is between me and Lorelai. You have nothing to do with it!"

"You and Lorelai, huh? When was the last time you considered her? From what I've heard, all you can think about in the last few months is your daughter."

"Well excuse me for actually taking my kid and her needs into consideration rather than only thinking about her only when it's convenient for you!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's supposed to mean that I actually care about my daughter and want to have a relationship with her, not just use her to get into her mother's pants!"

"You have no idea what you are talking about," Christopher spits out, his eyes narrowed.

Ignoring him, Luke continues. "When I first found out I had a kid, my whole world turned upside down. But you know what I did? I decided to do the hard thing and get to know my daughter, try to make up for all the years I lost. At least you had the choice about whether to be a father or a deadbeat to Rory!"

"Hey…" Christopher tries to defend himself but Luke won't let him.

"I tried to gain her mother's trust, even though she can still threaten to take her away. And if that meant sacrificing my own happiness, I still did it!"

He takes a minute to collect himself before continuing. "So don't you dare judging me, I know I screwed up!"

Still by the fireplace, Lorelai is preoccupied with her own thoughts. She is processing Luke's words while he speaks and it's like the wheels have clicked in place when she hears the part about Anna. She can now see Luke's fear and she understands why he has been so careful when it came to her meeting and spending time with April. What she hadn't noticed until now is that during his speech, Luke had advanced towards Christopher and they are now just millimeters apart.

Jumping into action, she leaves her spot by the fireplace and moves towards the two men.

"Hey, hey, break it off you two."

She places her hand on Luke's chest, pushing him away from Christopher. Her gaze locks with Luke's, both understanding that they'll talk later when they are finally alone.

She turns abruptly towards Christopher. "Look, I appreciate your concern, but this is between me and Luke, as we've repeatedly told you. You have no right judging him over how he chose to be a parent to his kid, especially since you were never a parent to Rory!"

Lorelai's anger rises again. "You, of all people, who only remember that you have a kid when oh so conveniently I'm single or having problems in my relationship. Stupid me for thinking that last year's freeze-out made you realize some things and that you really cared for Rory this time! But, once again, Rory was your excuse to get to me. Well, this is how things will work from now on: you'll keep paying for Yale, but you and I won't have any contact at all. I hope for your sake that you keep in touch with your daughter," she finished icily.

Christopher, having never seen Lorelai so angry with him and never heard her criticize the way he treated his daughter, is shocked. Without saying anything, he gives the couple one last look before leaving.

When they finally hear the door close behind him, Luke and Lorelai turn towards each other.

After a moment of silence Lorelai is the first to speak. "I'm sorry. I didn't invite him over"

Luke answers immediately, not letting her finish. "You don't need to apologize."

Another moment of silence stretches between the two, with Luke the first to speak this time. "Look, obviously this isn't a good time to talk. I'll come back tomorrow. Until then, eat the food I brought you and get a good night's sleep." His tone leaves no room for doubt.

He moves towards her, giving her a brief hug and a kiss on the forehead before heading towards the door.

"'Night."

tbc


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: **Thanks for your support in this story.

And as always thanks to **Pink Hammer **and **Cappuccino.**

Happy 4th of July to all Americans!

* * *

Over the next couple of days, all attempts to talk to each other failed. The inn was suddenly at full capacity, so every time Luke stole a minute to go and see her, he found her occupied and in the middle of some kind of crisis. They only managed to exchange a few words here and there, and of course none of that was about the subject they both wanted to talk about.

When Lorelai got home at night, she was so tired that she only managed to talk to Luke over the phone about her day, take a quick shower and head to bed to get some much needed rest.

He was staying in his apartment and Lorelai wasn't really shocked about that. Over the last couple of months, that had become more and more frequent and she was actually more surprised when he decided to spend the night with her at their newly renovated house. That was another subject they needed to sort out; when would Luke officially move in.

In the minutes before she drifts to dreamland, her mind wanders to Luke and their situation. She is dreading the talk they are going to have because she isn't so sure about the outcome. She really hopes that they can work things out because she is sure of one thing; he is the only man she has ever loved and she wants him in her life. That's why she hasn't tried to get him out of his own head all this time, that's why she let him drift further away from her without saying a word. She needs him.

But, after being his second or even third thought behind April and the diner for so long she wants to know - she needs to know – what is her place in his life? Is there a place for her or does he just want to be a father to April? Is he willing to allow a relationship between his fiancée and his daughter? And most of all, would he keep letting Anna dictate his relationship with his daughter or will he put his foot down and create his own terms for meeting her?

--

Above the diner, in his darkened apartment, Luke has similar thoughts. He stretches out on his couch, a beer in his hand, thinking about the relationship between him and Lorelai. He is anxiously awaiting their big talk to clear things up. He wants to reassure her, to make her see that even if his actions showed the opposite, she is still the only one he can see himself growing old with. His feelings haven't changed and he is still so much in love with her that he doesn't know what would happen if she told him that she doesn't want to be with him 

anymore, that she is tired of him keeping secrets and keeping his problems to himself without letting anyone else help.

He wants to reassure her, to make her understand that it's not he didn't trust her with April, he just wanted to show her that he could be a good father. He was afraid that if she saw him fail with April, she would reconsider the kids conversation that they had not so long ago. He is determined that they will talk the next day, no matter what.

--

It's late the following night when the diner is finally empty of customers and Luke starts his closing routine. Even though he has followed the same procedure over and over for the last 15 years, tonight it seems to take longer than usual. He blames it on his anticipation of finally seeing Lorelai.

She had taken him by surprise when she came by for her morning coffee, but they didn't manage to talk much. The diner was busy as usual at that time and due to Lane being on her honeymoon, they were short handed, so Luke was running around like crazy trying to serve every starving customer. Lorelai sat at her usual stool for a while, observing him at his place of work, but when it became obvious that he wouldn't be able to get away even for a few minutes, she left for the inn after ensuring that Luke would show up later that night. Neither of them liked the situation they were in, but they were both nervous about the outcome.

The townies, and especially the gossip queens, having witnessed Lorelai's drunken speech, were watching every interaction between them very carefully, trying to find clues to help them answer their nosy questions. So far they'd come up empty.

In order to keep their privacy, Luke carefully observes Babette's house before he approaches Lorelai's. He is sure that if her neighbor spots him there the phone lines will be on fire and everyone will be asking them questions. Questions that he's not so sure they'll be able to answer. When he sees the lights out and the curtains closed, he quickly climbs the porch steps and knocks on the door, to announce his presence. After a brief moment, he hears footsteps approaching.

"Hi," he says when Lorelai opens the door.

"Hey, you didn't have to knock."

"Yeah I know, didn't want to startle you. Can I come in?"

"Oh yeah, sorry, come on in." She opens the door wider to let him in before closing it behind him.

They are both nervous. Normally when Luke came home after work, she would greet him with a sweet kiss, offer him something to drink and then they would relax on the couch watching some movie or, occasionally, Lorelai would allow him to watch ESPN.

Now they are both standing awkwardly in the foyer, neither making a move towards the living room.

"This is stupid," Luke says finally.

"What is?"

"This. Us" Luke says, gesturing. Before Lorelai takes it the wrong way, he continues, "We're acting like we don't know what to say or do when we're around each other. We've been friends for ten years, dated for two, and here we are standing and looking at each other at a loss for words!"

"Maybe it's because a lot is at stake this time." Her voice is low and almost timid.

Luke takes a deep breath and moves in the living room, Lorelai following close behind.

"I know we have a lot to talk about, but I want to make one thing clear: I'm not here to break up. Even if you're fed up with my behavior and you think I'm not worth the trouble, I'm here to convince you otherwise. I'm here to fight for us, Lorelai!" His voice breaks on these last words, but he continues to look her square in the eye.

"Oh, Luke, breaking up is the last thing on my mind. I just want us to work things out, move forward with our life and be able to finally get married." She tries to hold back the tears, she doesn't want to seem too vulnerable, but when she talks about getting married the first tear slides down her face.

Luke moves over to the couch, sits down and gestures for her to do the same. It's going to be one long night.

"Did you really mean what you said? That you didn't believe we would get married?"

"It didn't feel like we were moving to that direction. I know I agreed to postpone the wedding, but after all this time we still haven't set a new date and we haven't discussed anything wedding related."

"I thought what I told you that weekend was enough. You never brought it up again."

"You had a lot on your mind and I didn't want to pressure you even more. I wanted you to want to marry me and not agree just because I was being pushy!"

Luke drops his head and asks, "Do you really believe that? That I would start making wedding plans again just because you asked, even though I wasn't interested? That I would think _hey, I've got Lorelai occupied with wedding stuff so that's one less problem for me?_"

"That's what it felt like, Luke."

"Look at me in the eyes."

She complies immediately.

"Do you think I love you?"

She averts her gaze but Luke reminds her "In the eyes."

She looks back at him and her eyes cloud over. She doesn't respond immediately, her tears running freely by now. In a chocked up voice she manages to whisper, "It doesn't feel like it."

She knows her words have hurt him, she can see it in his eyes, in his face, in the way his whole body slumped over when she spoke.

He manages to get up and moves across the room to sit on the stairs. Holding his head in his hands, he mutters, "Then I've screwed up much more than I thought."

A moment of silent passes, broken by a bitter laugh from Luke. "You know, at the time, it made perfect sense."

"What did?" Lorelai queries.

"Handling the situation the way I did. Getting to know April and creating a bond with her before you officially met her. Putting aside our relationship for a little while to focus on my daughter that I didn't know existed until recently. I thought you would understand!" he finishes desperately.

"It didn't bother me at the time, Luke. You have to understand that. I wasn't opposed to you spending alone time with your daughter. But as the time dragged on and every person in town was telling me how they'd met April and what a great and bright kid she was, I was starting to have doubts that I'd ever meet her. I started to believe you didn't trust me enough! That you had no intention of getting married, so why bother introducing us and then having to explain to a twelve year old why she wouldn't see that lady she met a while ago anymore."

That admission brings Lorelai close to tears once again.

"And so you started to believe that I don't love you anymore?"

It is her turn to bow her head without being able to look at him. "You have to see things the way I did, Luke. My fiancé, who renovated this place to live in and with whom I was practically already living the whole time the construction was taking place, starts spending less and less time here with me. He has this other life going on that I know nothing about, and I'm just hearing bits and pieces about it around the town. How would that seem to you Luke?"

"Not good," he admits.

"Exactly. And I was being patient, Luke, all this time! But seeing Lane getting married so young was what broke me. I was jealous of a 21 year old for crying out loud! And to make things worse, I find out that yet another person has met April and that's none other than my own daughter! I felt like crap, like I wasn't worth your trust. All I wanted to do was drink myself to oblivion. To not be able to feel the pain anymore."

"And yet all that time you didn't say anything."

"I was scared," she admits.

"Why on earth would you be scared to tell me how you feel? It wouldn't be the first time you've had to get me out of my own head."

"Remember what happened the last time I pushed you to talk when you weren't ready?"

He stares at her blankly and she is yet again disappointed with him. How could he forget their break up? The cause of their biggest heartache, long before April showed up?

"I don't think we broke up because you pushed me to talk. That was one very big misunderstanding on both our parts."

Lorelai is relieved: he does remember!

"And we would definitely not have broken up now just because you told me that I was neglecting you, Lorelai."

He gets up and goes to sit beside her on the couch, speaking slowly, his voice just above a whisper.

"Remember not so long ago you were in my place, not setting a date until things with Rory were settled. But when I started having doubts I talked to you about it, I didn't keep it bottled up inside of me."

"I was scared," she repeats, looking up at him.

He places a kiss on her forehead, pulling her towards him until she rests her head on his shoulder and his mouth is right next to her ear.

"I'll tell you something and I want you to believe me. I NEVER, EVER stopped loving you! From the moment you barged in my diner begging for coffee until now, I have loved you like crazy, and I can assure you that my feelings are now stronger than ever. I can't imagine my life without you. Now that I know what it's like to be with you, I don't want a life without you," he admits. "Yes I was sidetracked by April, but you have to understand that it was a really big deal for me to find out that I have a twelve year old daughter, and I needed time to adjust. I did it the wrong way, I can clearly see that now, but I never intended to hurt you. You did the same thing when you and Rory had that fight and I assumed that you would give me the leeway if I did the same."

He feels her tense before she withdraws from him.

"I might have been waiting to make things right with Rory before we set a date, but I didn't under any circumstances compartmentalize my life, like you've been doing these past few months. You were here with me every day and night, trying to make me talk with Rory and reassuring me that everything would be okay. I didn't push you away!" She is getting angry.

"I might have been here to see it all, but you were pretending that everything was fine. You completely avoided the subject and you were shutting me out. We only talked about silly things like Paul Anka's quirks and what movie to watch. Any time I attempted to discuss more serious issues you always made the excuse that you were tired and headed to bed." He replies calmly.

"So what are you trying to say? That you handled the situation the way you did just to get revenge for the way I was acting at the start of our engagement?"

"I'm trying to say that we were both single for a very long time and we haven't learned to share our problems with anyone else. When there's a hurdle, we try to fix it without taking into consideration what others have to say. But from now on, if you are willing to forgive me, I'll include you in everything. You'll meet April the next time she's in town and we'll schedule a sleepover so that you two can spend even more time together. I know that words don't mean much to you right now but I'll prove you that everything will work out and we WILL get married."

He waits anxiously for her response to his assertions but she remains silent. He can see that she looks more relaxed now, but she still seems hesitant to believe him.

"How about next weekend?" he asks.

"To do what?"

"To move my stuff over here. I always told you that actions speak louder than words, well this is me taking action to prove you that I'm still all in."

Her face softens even more and the first real smile makes its appearance. She leans forward and wraps her arms around him. He immediately responds and starts placing small kisses at the base of her neck.

"I missed you," he hears her say as she separates from him. As soon as she moves back, she leans in again but this time moving for his lips. Their lips come crashing together for a passionate kiss that convey all their feelings. They kiss and kiss until oxygen becomes much needed and they reluctantly separate.

They sit there just centimeters apart, holding each other and grinning like idiots.

"I promise you…" he starts, but isn't able to finish because she places her hand over his mouth to stop him.

"No more promises," she whispers.

"You're right, no more empty words. You don't need more of those," he replies regretfully.

He reaches out and frames her head between his hands before pulling her for a kiss. What started as a gentle kiss quickly escalates when Luke pushes her gently backwards so that she lay on the couch and he covers her. He gently pins her to couch and her hands are roaming everywhere she can reach. He brushes his lips across hers teasingly, once twice and then a 

third time. Lorelai can take no more of the teasing and cups his face bringing their mouths crashing together. They come up for air but Luke wastes no time and starts placing kisses on her neck, moving further down to her neckline.

He can tell by the little moans that escape her lips that she is enjoying the attention, so he continues his ministrations.

"I think we should move"

His response is muffled since he doesn't stop what he is doing. "In a while."

"It's going to be really uncomfortable here," she says, causing him to stop and raise his head.

With a smirk that says a lot he answers, "Like that stopped us before," and his lips are attached to hers once again.

"I just want to kiss you, but if we go up there I'm sure we will forget all about it," he says punctuating every word with a kiss.

"Too bad," she answers playfully with a small pout. "Especially since I bought a little something from our friend Victoria to welcome you home from the trip."

He raises his eyebrows smiling down at her. "Sold! Come on, let's go."

tbc


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning Luke wakes early as usual, but instead of getting out of bed, he is content just to hold Lorelai in his arms again.

He wouldn't admit it, but the events of the past few days had scared him. This was the first time that he had actually been truly afraid for their relationship; afraid that Lorelai had had enough of his stubbornness and that she wouldn't be willing to give him another chance. But now that he has that chance, he is determined to prove himself worthy of her trust, to prove her that the way he had acted over the last few months was not really him. He is willing to share everything with her and include her in every aspect of his life.

As he feels Lorelai stir, all his thoughts stop. He leans over her to make sure she is awake.

"Morning," he says as he kisses her shoulder.

"Hey," she replies, shifting to her back so that she can face him.

He brushes her hair off her face and leans down to kiss her good morning. As he pulls back, he doesn't see the typical Lorelai smile he is expecting after spending a night together.

He frowns, immediately asking, "What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?" she replies defensively, though she makes no move to alter their position.

"That look," he says, gesturing to her eyes. "It tells me that something is wrong. What is it?"

She takes a deep breath, obviously contemplating whether or not to tell him the actual reason. "I'm just kind of surprised that you're actually here."

"Ouch!" he says, hanging his head and resting it on her shoulder.

"It's been a long time since you spent the night here and even longer since we actually woke up together in bed," she elaborates.

He moves away from Lorelai, lying on his back looking at the ceiling, obviously hurt by her admission.

"Luke, I didn't mean that you would leave after what happened last night…"

"I know what you meant," he cuts her off. "I was thinking the same thing before you woke up," he continues, "but I'd really, really like to put it behind us and move on. Not let it be something that will always come between us. I know where I've been wrong and I'll try not to make the same mistakes again," he finishes determinedly.

"I know, baby, but it's still pretty fresh in my mind, that's all." She turns to her side, supporting her head on her palm as she uses her other hand to caress his chest. "I'll try not to mention it again."

A bitter laugh escapes Luke's lips. "I think the only thing that we learned from these two months is that we SHOULD talk about what's bothering us, no matter how hard the topic is."

"Okay," she agrees, leaning down to seal the deal with a tender kiss.

Luke has other ideas, pulling her across so that she is lying on top of him. The kiss grows more and more passionate until Luke stops abruptly, placing her back against the bed. He is about to get up when Lorelai catches his arm.

"Hey, Mr. Tease, where do you think you're going?"

"I just remembered that I brought you a little something from the trip," he grinned.

Excited, Lorelai sits up, releasing his arm. "Oh, gimme!"

"So now I'm allowed to get up?" he asks teasingly.

"Yep, now go get!" she says, playfully smacking him on the butt.

"Hey! Play nice or no present for you" he laughs, grabbing his boxers from the floor to cover himself.

"Oh, there goes my eye candy" she complains.

He shakes his head acknowledging the comment but continuing his quest for his jeans. Once he spots them, he reaches into the back pocket, taking out a small square box.

"It's nothing much. One day I was strolling in town with April and this little thing caught my eye. I wasn't sure whether or not to buy it, but April gave me that little push I needed, assuring me you would like it."

He sits on the bed and hands her the box, anxiously awaiting her reaction.

Once she opens it, a gasp escapes her lips. "Luke…"

It is a silver bracelet with sapphire stones. The stone in the middle is heart-shaped, with their initials dangling from either side of it.

Seeing that Lorelai is stunned into silence, he continues. "When I saw the heart in the middle I immediately thought that it would be nice if it had our initials hanging on either side of it, so I asked the lady to add them, but if you don't like them, they are easily removed, so just say the word."

"Luke…" she repeats, dazed. "It's perfect the way it is, no need to change anything."

"So you like it?" he asks, just to be sure.

Lifting her eyes from the bracelet for the first time, Luke can now see her teary gaze.

"I love it," she replies as a tear slips from her eye.

Luke scoots closer to her. "Come on, no need to cry" he says as he takes her in his arms.

He hears her sniffle against his shoulder as if she is preparing to say something, but instead she takes a deep breath.

"What?" he asks.

"It's nothing."

"You were about to say something, so tell me."

She is hesitant to confess her thoughts, but in the end, she decides to be honest.

"The way I was seeing things, this trip seemed as another opportunity for you to get away from me. To spend some time with your daughter without having to think or care about me. Focus only on April without having to find a way to squeeze me in your schedule."

Luke says nothing, but is stunned by her admission.

"But now you brought me this and you showed me that not only I wasn't the last thing on your mind when you were away, but you were thinking about me, trying to find a gift to bring home to me. When I was thinking that you didn't care, you proved to me that you do still care, Luke, even if you didn't have the best way of showing me."

He clears his throat, trying to mask his hurt, but failing miserably.

"Since I heard your speech the other night, I thought I knew how deeply I've hurt you. But every day that passes and every time we talk I realize just how much more hurt there is. It's like every time we speak I discover a new level of pain I've caused. And to top that, I never realized that you had doubts about my feelings for you. For ten years, everyone told me how obvious my feelings were, and now in two months I managed to make you doubt them."

Lorelai is the one to hug him now, cradling his head between her hands and placing small kisses below his ear.

After a minute or two, he withdraws from her, standing up from the bed.

"Where are you going?" Lorelai questions him.

"Downstairs to make us some breakfast. What would you like?"

"Luke?" she asks worriedly, but he brushes her off.

"I'm okay. Really. Pancakes, sausages and eggs sound okay?"

"They sound great, but you forgot something," she teases, trying to banter with him.

"Orange juice? Yeah, I think I have a bottle in the fridge," he winks at her as he moves to the door.

"Coffee!" she reminds him.

"Your death cup will be waiting for you," he assures her as he leaves the room.

XX

Lorelai watches him disappear, falling back on the pillows with a heavy sigh.

They eat breakfast without discussing their situation further. The food is great, but while they banter back and forth as usual while they eat, Luke could see the sadness in Lorelai's eyes as she steals glances at the bracelet that had already found a place on her wrist. He knows that what happened last night wouldn't magically fix all their problems, nor would Lorelai start to trust him so soon after everything that had happened.

He knows that he needs to do something, something to show her that he still trusts her with everything and that he wants to get married, but he is at a loss as to exactly what he should do. He should talk to Sookie or Rory. Thinking about it further, he decides that Rory is probably more likely to be able to keep a secret from Lorelai and give him good advice on the subject.

A hand squeezing his pulls him out of his reverie.

"What were you thinking just now?" Lorelai inquires.

Luke tries to come up with something that would make her drop the subject. "How much I don't want to go to the diner and have to deal with Kirk and his antics," he grumbles.

"You're a big boy, you can handle Kirk," she teases him.

"Can I send him over to the Dragonfly just for one meal?" he responds with a straight face.

"You wouldn't dare!" she replies, horrified.

He is about to continue his teasing, but the horror on her face makes him smile instead. "Not so fond of Kirk when he's at your place of business, huh?"

"You love me and you wouldn't be so cruel to me!"

He gets up from the table and goes to kneel by the side of her chair. Brushing her hair off her face and shoulder, he gives her a sweet kiss.

"Not intentionally," he whispers meaningfully, pecking her lips one more time before getting off the floor and going upstairs to change for work.

Once he reaches the landing and is out of Lorelai's sight, he leans against the wall, closing his eyes. It is very easy to fall back into their usual banter, to pretend that everything is alright again, but he knows they still have a long way to go.

XX

He should be happy right? He's not supposed to be angry when his diner is full of hungry people. He knows that. That's the road he decided to follow to earn his living. More tourists, who come to visit Stars Hollow for whatever reason, are always welcome - but not today.

Luke has a plan: call Rory and ask for her help. She should be able to help, she knows Lorelai better than anyone. But the damn tourists keep getting in his way. He can't find a minute to head upstairs to make the phone call. He has barely had anything to eat or drink since breakfast, but that's the last thing on his mind. He desperately wants to call Rory and set in motion whatever plan they come up with. He can't deal with the awkwardness anymore. Although last night was a step to the right direction, he knows that Lorelai needs to see proof to make her trust him again. Most of all, he wants things to go back to normal so that they are able to move forward and have the wedding they both deserve.

The lunch rush has passed, and while several tables are still occupied, they have already been served, so Luke decides to leave Caesar in charge and head upstairs to make the call.

When he is up in his apartment, alone, ready to dial Rory's number he starts feeling nervous. Sure, he saw Rory only a couple days ago in Philadelphia, and she met April, but he doesn't know how she'll react after her mother's drunken speech. Will she be angry and not want to talk to him because of the pain he caused, will she give him a piece of her mind concerning the situation? Suddenly he dreads making the call, but decides to take his chances concerning Rory's reaction anyway and proceeds to dial her number.

"Luke?"

"Yeah… uh hi ,Rory."

"Is something wrong? Is mom okay?" Her anxiety is evident in her voice.

"Yeah, yeah everything is fine, sorry if I made you worry," he is quick to reassure her.

"It's just that you've never called me before, and considering how I left mom the other night…," she trails off.

Remembering why exactly Rory had to leave he asks, "How is Logan?"

"He is doing better. Still in the hospital, but he's recovering well."

"Good, that's good."

Neither speaks until Rory decides to cut to the chase.

"So, why are you calling me, Luke? I'm sure you didn't call to check on Logan."

Luke sighs, trying to find the words. "Like I told you the other night, I now realize how much I've screwed up and how badly I handled the April situation. Me and your mom, we are working towards making things better, but I can tell that she still doubts me, and I want to make that go away."

"So, just because you kissed and made up she should forget the last few months and how badly you've hurt her?"

"Rory…" he tries to interject.

"No, Luke! It's my turn to talk now!"

He can tell that she's angry, so he lets her speak. "Okay"

"I've never seen mom that sad before. I can't believe that you didn't notice all this time. Yes, when she was around people she pretended that everything was alright in Lorelai-land, but her smile was fake and sad. YOU of all people should have been the first to know that something was wrong with her!"

"I should have known," he agrees sadly. "I know that I was wrong, Rory, and I want to do something to prove your mother that I still want to marry her, that she is the one I want to spend the rest of my life with." He is getting emotional but he doesn't care. He wants both girls to be able to trust him again; to show them that just because he mishandled a life-altering situation doesn't mean that they can't count on him.

Understanding the tone of his voice she decides to cut him some slack. She hears him take a deep breath, so she knows that there is more he has to say.

"Last night your mom and I made up, but this morning I could still see in her eyes the doubt, and the fear that something will go wrong again."

"I don't know how I can help you with that, Luke."

"I want to do something for her and I thought that maybe you might have some ideas about what that something should be."

Rory is silent for a minute, trying to decide if she should be forward with him or let him come to the conclusion himself.

"You know what would make mom feel better," she finally says, hoping that he does know.

"Yes," he says. "A wedding. But I don't know the first thing about organizing one. I would definitely need her help with that, and no matter how much I hate to admit it, the help of her b.f.o.t.b. too," Luke chuckles.

"Huh?"

"Oh you should have been there the first time. Tons of magazines on the diner tables and any time I tried to give my opinion, Sookie was all over me claiming she was the b.f.o.t.b., meaning best friend of the bride," he explains.

He can hear Rory laughing from the other side of the phone before she says, "Okay then, the wedding is out of the question, but what about setting a date and surprising her with it?"

He considers it for a second before adding, "And maybe I can plan a wedding shower where I announce it to her."

Rory smiles "Good thinking. She likes parties and she would definitely like her own wedding shower. But first, you'll have to check the reservation book of the Dragonfly to find a date that is available. "

"Oh right, yeah, good thinking on that one. Umm can you deal with Michel because I don't think he would cooperate with me?"

"Yeah, I can do that." She agrees.

"And Rory? I could really need your help with planning this. I don't know if you can, what with Logan being in the hospital and finals coming up, but I would appreciate it."

"Don't worry about it, I'll help. I want to see mom happy again and you two finally getting married."

"Thanks, Rory. I'll check on some stuff and call you back to finalize the date and the specifics."

"Bye, Luke."

He hangs up the phone with a small smile tugging at his face. He finally feels in control of the situation again and he is confident that this time everything will go as planned.

tbc


	8. Chapter 8

After two days of hell that involved multiple meetings with Taylor about the availability of the town square a long list of rules that Luke would have to follow to make sure the party would be well organized and not in violation of any town ordinances, Luke finally got the green light to go ahead. He had to point out to Taylor several times that it was a surprise party and that he couldn't say anything to anyone until the time was right. After many discussions and debates, Taylor was finally convinced to keep it a secret.

During those two days, he was constantly on the phone either talking to Taylor or telling Rory about the progress of the "negotiations". A couple of times, Lorelai had walked into the diner during the calls and Luke had either had to hang up or start talking about shipments and orders that needed to be made.

Now, during one of those lulls, he is once more on the phone with Rory. "Yep, we're good to go. Have you come up with anything?" he asks her.

"Well, I've got a couple of ideas but we'll need help from someone in Stars Hollow. Why don't you ask Sookie to help too?"

"Do you really think she'll be able to keep it a secret from Lorelai? Because frankly, I don't think so."

"I know, she'll be too excited" she sighs acknowledging that Luke is right. "Every time she sees mom she'll start bouncing and giggling and mom will suspect something." She sighs again.

"Are you sure I can't help with whatever you need?" he tries again.

"Luke, believe me, some things need a woman's eye…"

"Damn!" he interrupts her.

"No need to be offended, Luke." Rory misinterprets.

"No, it's your mom. What is she doing here at this time?"

"Don't panic Luke, she'll think something is wrong."

At that moment, the door opens and in comes Lorelai. Seeing he is on the phone she waves at him and settles at the counter.

"Okay, good, I'll call you back," he says uneasily.

"What, no orders today? I'm disappointed," Lorelai teases him

"Uh yeah… bye." Luke hangs up the phone and plasters a smile on his face before turning to Lorelai.

"Hey," he says, leaning to place a kiss on her lips.

"Hello to you too! Another order?" she asks while gesturing to the phone.

"Nah, they just needed some clarification; they couldn't understand my writing," he tries to explain while busying his hands by filling a cup of coffee.

"Then why the need to call them back?" she asks insistently.

"Huh?" Luke is clearly confused

"When I walked in, you said you'll call them back," she says, beginning to look slightly worried.

"I did? Force of habit. So, what brings you here?" he tries, hoping to change the subject, but kicking himself about his choice of question.

"Slow day at the inn; nothing to do, so I thought I would come by and see you. Am I interrupting something?"

"What? Of course not!"

Seeing that they are alone in the diner, he moves to Lorelai's side, leaning on the counter next to her. He takes one of her hands in his, stroking her soft skin.

"It's good you're here; I could use some company until the lunch rush starts."

His soft caresses and his words make her soften and they stay there talking and making plans for the night till the lunch crowd starts coming in.

XXX

That same night, Luke is cooking dinner while waiting for Lorelai to come from the Dragonfly. They were supposed to spend the whole evening together, but an emergency call from Michel meant that Lorelai had to leave Luke and head over there. That's how he finds himself alone in the crap shack making dinner and waiting for her. He must admit it's nice to have some time to think without interruptions.

Rory had called earlier in the afternoon, telling him about some ideas she'd had. She wanted Luke's input on flowers and decorations, but he had requested more time to think about it, since he had no idea what the proper decorations were for a wedding shower. So, now that Lorelai has gone out, he reads the notes that he had taken while Rory was talking, trying to make some kind of decision. He doesn't want to leave it all to Rory, but he finds himself unable to decide whether lilies or daisies would fit better and whether the tables should be covered with tablecloths that match the colors of the flowers or not. Hearing the front door open, he quickly folds the paper and places it in his jeans pocket and returns back to cooking.

She enters the kitchen and plops down on a chair with a heavy sigh.

"What was it this time?" he asks while leaning on the kitchen counter.

"Can I kill him?" she asks.

"Uhm, no," he responds with a smile on his face.

"Can I at least fire him?" she counters.

"You need him," he tries to reason. "What happened?"

"You want to know the big emergency? Why he made me go there?" she asks, getting agitated again just recalling the incident.

"I'm all ears."

"Well, brace yourself for what's to come, because it was huge, an enormous event he couldn't deal with by himself, something that…"

"Lorelai," he cuts her off. "Point please."

"He saw a maid eat one mint out of the basket we use for our turn down service," she says while getting up, clearly irritated now.

Luke waits for more, but Lorelai just stands there looking at him.

"And?"

"That's it. He saw a maid eating a mint and wanted me to go all the way over there to tell her not to do it again!"

Trying to hide his laughter, he turns to check on the food, but Lorelai immediately sees it.

"Oh no, don't laugh, mister! He made me go all the way down there while I could have been here spending time with you!" she pouts, walking up to him and playing with the hair at the base of his neck.

He turns to her with a smile now evident on his face, hugging her tightly. "We still have all night."

XXX

Later, they are sitting cuddling on the couch while watching a movie as Lorelai requested. Luke had complied because she brought out the big weapons: the pout and the trauma of her earlier encounter with Michel.

Luke is sitting there playing with Lorelai's hair, but while his eyes may be on the screen his mind is drifting to party plans and flowers.

"Do you want to turn it off?" she asks, noticing his behavior.

"Huh? Why?"

"Well, for once you haven't complained about my constant comments, and when I talked to you, you didn't answer."

He's been caught, and he knows it, so he tries to cover up. "Maybe I fell asleep."

"But you kept playing with my hair," she pushes.

"Okay, you got me, I wasn't paying attention to the movie." he replies, hoping she won't ask why.

"Is something wrong?" The worry is evident on her face and it makes him feel terrible about having to lie to her.

"Just tired; nothing unusual." he says and leans in to place a kiss on her cheek. They stay like that, their faces just inches apart. Lorelai doesn't know why; maybe it's because of their current position, but when she speaks, she finds herself whispering.

"Do you want to turn it off?"

"Nah, you earned it, especially after dealing with Michel. But, I wouldn't object to a little break," he says with a glint on his eyes.

"Break huh?"

"Yep"

He is leaning closer towards her, if possible, and their foreheads are touching. They can feel each other's breath growing more and more rapid as they both expect the kiss that's to come. They are looking deeply into each other's eyes, smiling with the anticipation they both feel. Finally, Lorelai, not being able to hold out any longer, makes the first move and parts her lips, touching them to his. Luke smiles through it but when he feels Lorelai's tongue trailing along his lips, he eagerly complies.

After a while, Lorelai breaks the kiss, which leaves him panting for breath. When he moves to continue on from where they left off, she pulls back with a smile on her face.

"Nuh uh! The movie, mister!"

"But…" he tries to come up with something.

"Them's the rules, babe," she replies.

"Like we haven't already broken like ten of them," he grunts.

"Doesn't matter. Now shush and watch."

"Mean woman," he growls, but the smile on his face betrays him.

Not convinced by his excuses, Lorelai keeps her attention on him instead of the movie. And after a while, she sees it: the moment he stops paying attention to the movie and his mind drifts elsewhere.

She is worried because he still doesn't mention anything about April around her, but on the other hand, and as far as she knows, she hasn't visited her father since they came back from the trip.

So, the rest of the movie is spent like that: Luke trying to figure out the party plans and Lorelai watching him and worrying that he is closing himself off again.

XXX

Early the next morning, he receives a phone call in the diner that upsets him and makes him really antsy. He is waiting for it to be late enough that he can call Rory without the fear of waking her up.

_When the phone rang in the diner, Luke was busy stocking the supplies in the storeroom and he almost tripped and fell on his way to answer the phone. "Hello?"_

"_Luke, hi!"_

"_Oh, hey, April. It's a little early to be calling; is everything alright?"_

"_Yeah everything is fine, just preparing to go to school, you know."_

"_Right, so how are you? I haven't had the chance to talk to you since we came back." _

"_Good, busy at school, but good. Listen, do you remember a conversation we had on the trip?"_

_Luke tries to remember but comes up empty. April catches on his silence so she goes on._

"_About my birthday," she specifies._

"_Oh yeah, now I remember. Next week?"_

"_Yes. So, are we doing it there or not?"_

_With all that was happening with Lorelai, he had completely forgotten about the birthday party he was supposed to organize._

"_Of course we'll have it here."_

And that's how he finds himself in this situation: having to organize two parties in one week.

He can't take it anymore; he doesn't care if Rory is still sleeping or not, the diner is empty now and he needs someone to hear him vent.

"Morning, Luke" she replies with the second ring.

"Hi, Rory. Did I wake you?" he asks cautiously. He knows how a sleepy Gilmore girl must be treated.

"No, I was on my way to class. Tell me, have you decided on anything?"

"Ah about that…" he starts. "We have a problem."

"What kind of problem?" she asks, her tone changing. She is defensive and ready to blame him if she senses that he is backing down.

"I forgot about April's birthday, and it's in one week. So, while we were on the trip she asked me to organize her party this year, since her mother can't do it. And guess what? She wants it to be held here in the diner; something about it being different to all the other parties she's been to. But, Rory, I can't organize two parties in one week!" He is in ranting mode and he is pacing the floor, going from one end of the counter to the other. "I have no idea about party stuff! When it comes to Lorelai, I might manage, since I know what she likes and I could come up with something that won't totally suck, but April? What do I know about parties for teenage girls? Nothing, that's what! I'm going to need your mother's help for that party, but I can't have her around too much or she'll get suspicious about her party!" He takes a deep breath, ready to continue, but when he hears Rory giggle from the other end of the phone he stops.

"Please tell me what you find so funny about this situation," he demands.

"The situation's, not funny - you freaking out and ranting, that's so funny," she continues to giggle.

"I'm glad that one of us is having fun," he grumbles.

"Aw, sorry, Luke, but you should have listened to yourself."

"Any solution you might have?" he asks, trying to make her focus on what matters.

Sobering up, Rory responds. "Actually, I think April's party is a great opportunity for you."

"It is?"

"Yep. You just said so yourself; you need mom's help to organize it."

There was silence on Luke's end.

"Oh boy, do you need me to spell it out for you? April, mom getting to know each other, and you showing her that you trust her around your daughter? Connecting the dots here? That you're willing to let her help with April."

Again silence on Luke's end.

"Please tell me you were listening?"

"Yeah I was. I'm just surprised I didn't make the connection myself."

"At the first show of trouble, you panic. You were scared that something might go wrong again."

"Thanks, Dr Phil," he tries to joke with her.

"So, panic attack over?"

"Almost. Just one more thing; I still don't think I can organize two parties."

"So, we cancel the wedding shower," she says with certainty. "Mom will be far more thrilled to help with April's party, than attending her own. "

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"I'm sure, and you should be too. Mom doesn't care that much about the big gestures, she just wants to know that you trust her and you are willing to include her."

Luke is now convinced, and relieved that he only has one party to plan.

"Okay, but I'm still setting a wedding date, and I'm not backing out of this one."

"Good, that one she'll really appreciate. And…"

Luke abruptly cuts her off since Lorelai is just entering the diner. "Uh okay, thanks. Bye!"

Of course, Lorelai notices that once again when she enters the diner he immediately ends whatever conversation he has over the phone, but this time she doesn't say anything.

XXX

Later, when she goes back to the Dragonfly, she heads straight to the kitchen and ignoring Michel's protests.

"Did I forgive Luke too easily?" she asks Sookie the moment she sees her.

"Huh? Where did that come from?" Sookie asks, bewildered.

Lorelai sighs and sits down on a stool. "Almost every time I step foot in the diner, I find him talking on the phone; and before you say he's making business calls, he hangs up when he notices I'm there. Especially today - he couldn't hang up fast enough!"

"Aw sweetie, I bet it's nothing and you are overreacting," Sookie tries to reason with her.

"Am I, Sookie? Let's see…" Lorelai is getting aggravated and starts listing all the things that Luke has done over the past few months.

"First, he hides the fact that he has a daughter for TWO months, then -after I **accidentally **find out- he still doesn't introduce us and starts leading a separate life with her, bonding and going away on trips! He comes back, hears my drunken speech, we fight; don't have the time to talk for two days, and when we finally do talk, I forgive him and we make up," she finishes.

"Yes, but you forget the part where he took care of you after your drunken speech. He brought you meals every day and made sure you were okay. And what about the bracelet? He bought it when he supposedly didn't care! Lorelai the guy worships you! Yes, sometimes he closes himself off, but you have to make him open up. Don't let him get stuck in his own mind for too long," her friend advises.

"Okay, I get that, but it still doesn't explain the phone calls and the whole hanging up when he sees me," Lorelai says, gesturing wildly to make her point.

Sookie growls before she gives her answer this time. "What did I tell you just now about TALKING?" she emphasizes.

"Sure, yeah, I should go in there and ask him straight up," Lorelai says, sounding unconvinced.

"That's what I've been telling you all this time," Sookie says, losing her patience with her friend.

"And what if the phone calls are indeed diner related and there is no hidden agenda?"

Silence on both ends after this question.

"See, not that easy now, is it?" Lorelai says.

XXX

Later that afternoon, she leaves the inn with practically no work done, since her mind kept wandering to Luke and to what he might be hiding. She decides to head to the diner for an early dinner and the chance to talk with Luke, and maybe broach the subject of the phone calls.

Once the diner is in view, she can clearly see him behind the counter, again talking on the phone and smiling. She doesn't have to think about it twice, she quickly turns around and heads home.

XXX

That same night, when the diner is finally closed, Luke heads back to their place. The first thing he notices is that Lorelai's jeep isn't in its usual spot; then, the darkened house. The door is locked, another sign of Lorelai's absence.

"Lorelai?" he calls, but he doesn't expect any answer.

XXX

Rory gets back to her apartment after an exhausting day spent on classes and the Yale newspaper. What she finds when she opens the door, is something she doesn't expect.

"Mom what are you doing here?"

tbc


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

**Author's Note: **Here it is the final chapter of this story. Hope you enjoyed it, I certainly had fun trying to find a way to avoid the stupid s6 finale. Hope I did them justice. Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed and those who only read but didn't want their presence to be known lol

A special thanks to **Pink Hammer **for being an excellent beta and calling minor the many mistakes she corrected. :)

Also thanks to **Cappuccino **who provided many ideas. The date? All her.

* * *

"Mom what are you doing here?" she asks when she sees Lorelai camped out in front of her couch with a suitcase nearby.

"Hey kid!" She tries to be calm, tries not to upset Rory yet.

"Hello to you too. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" she says playing along.

"Well I was just passing by the neighborhood and thought I would pay my lovely daughter a visit."

Rory wants to know the real reason. "Okay enough with the chit- chat, now I would really like to hear the real reason behind you being here with a suitcase!"

Lorelai exhales loudly prolonging the inevitable explanation. "I just need a place to stay for a night or two, and here I am."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you have a newly renovated house waiting for you in Stars Hollow and a fiancé…" She stops mid-sentence, only now realizing that something is wrong with her mother and Luke. "What happened?" she inquires.

Lorelai lowers her head and almost whispers. "He's keeping secrets again."

Rory strains to hear what she says, realizing what her mother is referring to when talking about secrets, but deciding to pretend ignorance. "What do you mean again? I thought you talked and made up!"

"We did, and everything was great, but for the last two or three days ,whenever I enter the diner I find him talking on the phone, and as soon as I step foot in there he hangs up or pretends to be talking about orders."

"Well, he is in his diner so chances are he does talk about orders."

"You weren't there to hear him hanging up the phone and trying to come up with excuses or ways to change the subject."

Rory, knowing the reason behind all those calls, tries to reason with her. "Mom, come on, I think you are overreacting. Yes, I know that these past few months have been very difficult for you, but you can't suspect every one of Luke's moves or phone calls. And I think he learned his lesson."

"Why do you say that?" Lorelai is suddenly intrigued by her daughter's certainty.

"Because I saw him that night of your drunken speech. As I was ready to leave, he was coming to the house to make sure you were alright. And believe me when I say this, I haven't seen Luke so lost and emotional as he was that night. From the little we talked, he showed me that he clearly understands his mistakes, and from what you told me, he admitted them to you. So do you think that after such a short time he would keep important secrets again?" she finishes, hoping that this little speech is enough to convince her mother.

Rory expects a reaction, but her mother just sits there with her head lowered, looking at the floor.

"Hello! Earth to Lorelai. Did you hear anything that I just said?"

"I heard you," she replies still without looking up.

"But?"

"But you weren't there to see his guilty face or how he reacted, so end of discussion! Will you let me stay here or should I start looking for available rooms in the Hartford area?"

Her mother is resigned and looks really tired, so Rory decides to let her stay.

"Of course you can stay. You don't even have to ask. You'll sleep in my room, so that Paris won't bother you with her crazy schedule."

"Thanks, kid. I'll just head to the bathroom, take off these clothes," she says gesturing.

"Suit yourself."

When her mother is out of ear shot she grabs her cell and proceeds to call Luke.

"Lorelai?" he asks anxiously.

"No, Luke, it's me," Rory says.

"Oh, hi, Rory," he replies, standing motionless.

"I'm guessing you were expecting mom?"

"Have you heard from her?" The anxiety is again evident in his voice.

"She's here. That's what I called to say."

"There? What is she doing there and why she didn't tell me anything?" He fires questions.

"Remember the times she caught you talking to me on the phone? Well she misinterpreted that and now she thinks that you're still holding secrets from her."

"I'm coming right over," he says, rustling coming from his side of the phone as he no doubt prepares to leave.

"You stay there!" she says loudly.

"What did you say, Rory?" Lorelai asks from the bathroom.

"Nothing, mom, I'm talking with Paris on the phone," she says, covering. She holds her breath, hoping that her mother won't come out of the bathroom and she'll be able to convince Luke to stay in Stars Hollow.

When no answer comes from Lorelai's side, she starts talking to Luke again, though now she is almost whispering.

"Let her calm down tonight. I'll talk to her some more and try to convince her that nothing is wrong."

He exhales loudly, obviously complying with what Rory suggests. "You won't convince her, but at least try to calm her down. I'll explain everything tomorrow when I get there." He sighs again.

"Do you want me to tell her the reason behind all those calls she heard?" she asks

"No, I'll handle it. Don't worry."

"Whatever you think is best," she replies.

"Good night, Rory, and I'll see you tomorrow." She is ready to hang up the phone when she hears, "Oh, and October 18."

"Huh?" she says, not knowing what that means.

"October 18, the date I booked for the wedding. I know it's kinda late for a summer wedding, but it shouldn't be too cold to be held outside."

Rory grins, knowing that with Luke so determined, everything will work out.

XXX

Early the next morning, Luke, who hadn't been able to sleep all night, is outside Rory's room contemplating whether he should knock or wait till he can hear movement from the inside. The debate ends when his phone rings and it's Rory.

"You're up early," he says in place of a greeting.

"Knowing you, you're waiting outside the door right now." Silence from the other end. "Thought so."

She opens the door and finds him sitting on the floor leaning on the wall opposite her room. Beside him were two Luke's bags, no doubt containing coffee and breakfast.

"You comfy there? Want me to go back in?" she jokes.

"Like mother, like daughter," he grumbles as he enters. He scans the room, looking for Lorelai.

"She is sleeping in my room," Rory states.

He moves aside the covers Rory used to sleep on the couch last night and with a heavy thud, drops onto it. He looks up at her and whispers, "Do I want to know how your talk went last night?"

She sits next to him and sighs. "I'm going to be honest with you; she is convinced that she made a mistake forgiving you so soon. She thinks you didn't learn from your mistakes and that you're still keeping secrets from her."

He drops his head to the back of the couch, covering his eyes with his hand.

Seeing him so sad Rory continues. "But when you tell her the truth, I'm sure she'll come around," she says supportively.

"The point here is trust, Rory, and I lost hers long ago," he replies.

"You still thinking of letting her help with April's birthday party?" she questions.

"Of course! I intended to tell her last night but she didn't show up. Why would I change my mind? Are you starting to doubt me too?"

Rory senses that she asked the wrong question, since he is obviously upset now.

He gets up from the couch and starts pacing the living room. "I had no intention of keeping April from Lorelai for so long. I just needed time to figure out how to be a father to a teenage girl! What would your mother think if she saw me fail? How would that affect her desire to have a kid of our own?" he finishes.

Rory is speechless after his outburst, while Luke stands there, breathing heavily.

He approaches Rory and sits back on the couch, this time closer to her. He puts an arm around her shoulders, "I'm sorry," he apologizes simply.

Rory turns to look at him and admits, "I just really, really want you as a step dad. I want this to work as much as you and mom do." She blushes.

Luke looks at her with a tentative smile and leans to hug her while whispering in her ear. "It will!"

He gets up, grabs a cup of coffee from the bag and heads towards Rory's room. He stops after a few steps. "Um, which door? I certainly don't want to stumble in on Paris" he jokes.

"The one on the right," she replies, smiling. "And don't forget that's my bed in there."

"Oh jeez!" is his only reply.

He opens the door quietly and goes in. He just stands there for a while, letting his eyes adjust to the dark. He sees her sleeping on her side, clutching a pillow; he approaches and sits on the bed facing her back. He doesn't want to startle her, so he starts rubbing her arm, trying to wake her gently. After a while, he feels her stir, turning towards him and placing her head on his thigh. He keeps the contact with her, but now he tries to get her hair off her face so he can see her better. While doing so, he sees her eyes open, looking at him before closing again. After a while, as if only now realizing what she had seen, she snaps her eyes open, trying to sit up.

"What are you doing here?" She tries to get off the bed but Luke holds her in place. "Did Rory tell you where I was?" she asks again, getting angry.

"Yes, Rory called, but there is no need to get angry at her," he replies calmly.

"And who should I be angry at, Luke?" she fires back.

He keeps her there, despite her attempts to get up. He doesn't say anything, just looks her straight in the eye, begging her to see the answers in them. She stops fighting him, lying there looking up at him instead.

"Why did you run to Rory?" he asks, but his voice is calm, soothing even.

She exhales loudly and averts her eyes. "You're still keeping secrets from me," she states, her eyes filling with unshed tears.

"Yes, I am," he states matter of fact.

She feels like her worst nightmares are confirmed and the tears that she held back are now spilling down her face.

"But…" he continues while wiping her cheeks with his thumbs, "it was for a good purpose."

She snorts in response. "Can you see the irony in your words, Luke? Secrets and for a good purpose? Is this seriously your argument?"

"Yes" is his only reply.

"I'm going to need something more than that; and would you let me get up?" she is angry again, struggling to get free from him.

"What if I told you that the phone calls were to organize our wedding shower?" he says, getting straight to the point as he sees that she's lost her patience.

He immediately feels her relax, ceasing the struggle, her arms now loose in his. She is looking at him, obviously stunned by his admission. "What did you just say?" she asks.

"Rory and I, we were planning a wedding shower to surprise you. And since I had no idea about decorations, flowers and stuff I had to call her every now and then to ask for details." He stops, waiting for her reaction.

"Were planning?" she prompts.

"As of yesterday, the wedding shower was replaced by a birthday party," he says.

"Whose birthday party?" she asks, perplexed.

"April's. I've promised her that we can have it during her trip, since her mother can't host the party this year and the rest of the kids seemed to like me. She wants to have it in the diner. I had forgotten all about it until she called me yesterday. That's the reason behind the phone calls you probably heard that made you angry."

"Oh"

"Yeah. I was about to tell you last night, but you weren't there," he finishes, waiting for her reply.

"To tell me that I can finally meet April?" she asks hopefully.

"That, and that I want you to help me organize her party. What do I know about teen parties? I almost had a meltdown while trying to decide about OUR wedding shower," he grins at her.

She squeals, and for the first time, he lets her hands go. She pulls him down and hugs him with all she has.

"Really?" she asks while still hugging him.

"Of course," he replies, withdrawing from the hug to look her straight in the eye. "No more words, remember? Just actions. And if you still want, we can have the wedding shower after April's party."

She shakes her head no. "I don't need parties or any big gestures. Letting me help and be a part of April's life is more than enough for me."

He nods, unable to form any words. For the first time in a while, he sees hope and happiness in her eyes.

She pulls him down again, this time aiming for his lips. The kiss starts slow, both savoring the feeling of each other, but when Lorelai opens her mouth, Luke pulls back.

"Huh?" she asks, still dazed from the kiss.

Luke blushes but a small smile appears on his lips, "Rory warned me that this is her bed."

Lorelai pulls him back down for a hug and starts giggling uncontrollably.

"Hey, hey, keep it pg-13 in there!" Rory yells from the other side of the door.

That makes Lorelai laugh even louder and Luke once again pulls back and gets up.

"Oh look at you, intimidated by the daughter," she teases.

He extends his hand, reaching out for her "Let's get you dressed and go back home."

She pouts in response. "And here I was hoping you'd get me undressed!"

"Lorelai!" he hisses.

The giggles are once again back, and so is Rory's response. "Don't make me come in there!"

Luke can take no more, so he moves and opens the door "I'll be waiting outside."

Both mother and daughter move to stop him "No, wait! Stay, we can have breakfast here."

"Only if you both promise to behave," he responds.

"He can't handle both Gilmore girls!" Lorelai says, and they both break into laughter.

XXX

A couple of days later, Luke and Lorelai are in the diner, talking during one of the lulls.

"Are you busy tomorrow?" Luke asks.

"I have a meeting with a bride that wants to book the Dragonfly, but after that I should be free. Why?" she responds while sipping her coffee.

"Uh, well, I thought we could go to the mall," he replies hesitantly.

Lorelai almost spits out her coffee. "You want to go to the mall voluntarily?" she asks while waving her finger at him.

"Stop that!" he hisses, catching her finger and lowering it. "And yes, I want to go and pick out a gift for April's birthday."

"I thought you picked one when you were coming back from the bank yesterday? The perfect gift that you couldn't resist- your words not mine," she reminds him.

He sighs and brings out a wrapped box from under the counter.

Lorelai carefully unwraps it and when she opens it, it takes all she's got not to break in laughter. "Aw, hon!" she manages.

"Don't laugh!" he spits out.

"I'm not." She tries to stifle her laughter.

Luke rounds the counter and comes to sit next to her. "I know I'm a bad gift giver," he sighs.

"No, you're not," she replies forcefully, raising her arm so that he can see the bracelet.

"It's always easy when it comes to you," he replies.

She looks at him oddly, as if asking for an explanation.

"Don't look at me like that. I don't know how to explain it, but whenever I wanted to buy something for you, I always knew what I was looking for, or the moment I saw something, I had a feeling you would like it. That's after we got together, of course, because earlier I was afraid that I would get you something that was too much and so I limited my offer to five hours of fixing things around your house," he finishes.

"But they always ended up being much more," she softly replies, looking straight at him. Luke looks back at her and they smile at each other. She leans towards him and places a soft kiss on his lips. When they pull back, they both have huge smiles still on their faces.

After a moment of silence passes, Luke continues his train of thought. "I know I don't pick out the best gifts," he says, indicating the box in front of them.

"Why on earth did you think a toiletry kit is something a teenage girl would like?" she asks, smiling.

"It has cats on it," he replies, as if it's the most logical thing in the world. The blank stare fromLorelai is his response.

"See, bad gift giver, and I'm sure if we ask Rory, she'll have her share of horror stories about my gifts."

"No she won't!" she tries to convince him.

"Um, the monogrammed phase rings any bells?" he reminds her.

She turns her head to one side, trying to hide her smirk. "Well, the up side to that was that no one tried to steal her belt," she offers.

"The unicorn presents? For five straight years, all she got was unicorn sweatshirts, unicorn pen cases and every other unicorn thing I could find," he lists.

"Boy, she hated the unicorns," she comments, remembering the gifts.

"She did? I thought she liked them, especially that unicorn marionette."

She shakes her head and Luke sighs. "See, I totally suck at getting presents."

"Aw, babe," she says, wrapping her arm around his shoulders. "Don't worry, we will go to the mall and get her something super cool!" she finishes and she kisses his cheek.

XXX

The party was as big a hit as expected. Lorelai was in charge of the activities, and all the girls appreciated the stop in the beauty shop and the makeover that followed. By the time the movie was about to start, all the girls had makeup on and hair extension and were showing off to one another. Even Lorelai had managed to put some green extensions in, despite Luke's protests.

"We should be the chaperones, not the ones encouraging them in this madness!" he ranted, changing his mind when he saw the outcome.

When it was time for gifts, Luke was really nervous, despite the fact that Lorelai had reassured him that April would love his gift. Sure enough, when April saw the gifts (the new "Way things work" and a gift certificate to the discovery store), she was really pleased.

It was already late when the movie started, so Lorelai suggested, and Luke of course agreed, to make it a sleepover. After the required phone calls to their parents, they all sat and enjoyed the movie, with Luke and Lorelai sitting towards the back. Luke had his arm around Lorelai and they talk softly to one another.

"Great party," Lorelai whispers.

"You made it great," Luke emphasizes. "If I was in charge, they would probably be sitting quietly and asking for permission to go to the bathroom," he jokes.

"Come on, give yourself some credit," she prompts.

They continue to watch the movie, but after a while, Luke says what was on his mind all night. "So, you and April seemed to get along well."

She looks at him sideways and replies, "Yeah, we talked, she seemed to like me. She is a great kid, Luke, and smart."

"Definitely smart. I don't know where she got that from," he jokes.

"Look at us; parents of two smart girls. Who would have thought?" she wonders.

"I did, but they were boys," he timidly admits.

She looks at him in wonder and they smile at each other again. Lorelai snuggles further into his embrace and whispers, "Kids would be good."

XXX

Now, two days after the party, Luke, Lorelai and April have their own celebration at Sniffy's.

It was Luke who insisted on having this little gathering outside Stars Hollow and its noisy people so that they can enjoy their time together.

He won't admit it, but he is really nervous; not only because of Lorelai's and April's first real meeting, but because it's the first time Buddy and Maisy would get to meet her too. With everything happening so fast, he had totally neglected to bring together his "second parents" with his daughter.

When Luke let it slip that Buddy and Maisy still hadn't met April, Lorelai was surprised, but a little relieved at the same time. She wouldn't admit it, but this new information makes her breathe a little easier. She knows by now that Luke didn't intentionally keep her from April, nor did he not trust her, it was just the way Luke worked when under pressure; closing himself off and putting aside everything else till the situation was resolved.

As they eat dinner and enjoy their conversation, Lorelai and April seem to get along well; in fact, so well that Luke feels left out sometimes, especially when they start talking about all of the girly films that Lorelai makes him watch, but he never remembers. Sometimes, he catches himself ready to break a smile when both girls tease him, but as soon as he realizes it, he tries to cover it up.

After dinner, Buddy and Maisy join them at the table for dessert to get to know April. Now, it was both Luke and Lorelai who felt left out, so they steal glances and smiles, acknowledging the success of the evening. Lorelai sneaks her arm under the table and pats Luke's knee. His left hand joins hers and laces their fingers. When Lorelai joins the conversation and comes up with something witty, they all laugh, and Luke doesn't try to hide it this time.

XXX

Later that night, Luke and Lorelai have returned to the Crap Shack and are snuggled together in bed. Neither talk; they are just lying there enjoying each other's company. They are both too hyped to fall asleep.

"That went well," Lorelai comments.

"It went beyond well," Luke agrees.

"And April liked Buddy and Maisy," she remembers, laughing.

Luke laughs along. "Which kid wouldn't like the people who brought her that much chocolate on a plate?"

"All in all, a successful evening," Lorelai states, turning to look at him.

"All in all, a very successful evening," he agrees, looking down at her and smiling.

After a moment of gazing into each other's eyes, Luke speaks again. "What do you think of October 18th?" His color is rising and he is fidgeting with Lorelai's hand.

"Um, another day in autumn? Hopefully with sunny, warm weather just before winter; Indian summer they call it I think." She pauses. "Oh, I know, St. Luke's feast day!" she finishes proudly.

"How did you know that? Even I had forgotten?"

"It was in one of Rory's books. So, what about October 18th? Do you want to celebrate your name day?" she asks, surprised.

"Well, I was hoping to celebrate something, but not my name day," he responds.

She is even more confused now. "Then what?"

"Our wedding," he finally gets out.

"What?" she asks, sitting up.

Luke doesn't move from his spot and answers calmly, looking up at her. "I looked at your reservation book at the Dragonfly. All the other dates seemed too soon to be able to organize a proper wedding, but if you think six months from now is too late, then we can change it." He begins to ramble. "Setting a date was just a symbolic gesture to show you that…" he starts, but Lorelai cut him off with a squeal, her body on top of his as she rewards him with a passionate kiss.

She pulls herself up to her elbows, looking down at him "Really?"

"Really" he says, and she kisses him again.

After they eventually break for air, Lorelai is lying on top of him with a smile playing at her lips.

"Why at the Dragonfly?" she asks.

"Don't know. Seemed fitting," he replies.

"Our first kiss?" she asks while looking at him.

He nods. "Our first kiss," he confirms.

"I love you!" she says.

"I love you too."

**THE END**


End file.
